Text 3520, 68 rader
Skriven 2008-03-07 21:42:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
Ärende: Chipped beef
====================
Roslind and I recently had dinner again at L'Heritage with our
friends Kevin and Lori. I discovered Raclette on the menu and
ordered it as a starter. Along with the gherkins, pickled onions,
baby potatoes and rye bread it came with shavings of French air
dried beef which was like some hot damned number one finest kind of
chipped beef. It was described as French on the menu but it wasn't
smoked (see below). I had a nice gewurztraminer with it as I thought
about the rest of you being reduced to Hormel chopped and formed
imitation chipped beef.

Wiki tells me:

"Buendnerfleisch is an air dried meat that is produced in the
Grisons canton of Switzerland. The main ingredient is beef, taken
from the animal's upper thigh or shoulder, the fat and the sinews
being removed. Prior to drying the meat is treated with white wine
and seasonings such as salt, onion and assorted herbs. The initial
drying process, lasting 3 - 5 weeks, takes place in sealed
containers stored at a temperature close to freezing point. The meat
is regularly rearranged during this stage, in order to ensure that
the salt and seasonings will be evenly distributed and absorbed.
During a second drying phase the meat is then hung in free flowing
air at a temperature of between 9 and 14 degrees Celsius. It is also
periodically pressed in order to separate out residual moisture:
from this pressing Buendnerfleisch acquires its characteristic
rectangular shape. Traditionally Buendnerfleisch is not a smoked
meat.

Bresi is a meat product from the Department of Doubs. It is made
from beef which is salted, dried and smoked during a preparation
period of three months. It resembles Grisons Buendnerfleisch. Bresi
is most commonly served thinly sliced at the start of main meals, or
else as a side dish with fondues.

Bresaola is air-dried salted beef eye of round that has been aged
about 2-3 months until it becomes hard and a dark red, almost purple
colour. It is lean, has a sweet, musty smell and is tender. It
originated in Valtellina, a valley in the Alps of northern Italy's
Lombardy region. A strict trimming process is essential to the rich
taste. Legs of beef are thoroughly defatted and seasoned with a dry
rub of coarse salt and spices such as juniper berries, cinnamon and
nutmeg. They are then left to dry for a few days. A curing period
follows, of between one and three months depending on the weight of
the particular bresaola. Up to 40% of the meat's original weight is
lost during aging."


I put a call into Pierre to learn more about his air dried beef and
his source but he hasn't called back yet. The Arctic Winter Games
have started and the restaurant is closed. The bar section is open
to VIPs from the games only and Pierre is busy feeding 2000 athletes
from Russia (Chukotka and Yakutia), Alaska, the Yukon, the NWT,
Nunavut, northern Alberta, northern Quebec, Greenland and Finland in
a vacant 35,000 sq ft supermarket which is a temporary catering
kitchen and dining hall.

                   



Cheers

YK Jim


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